December 10, 2025 – A recent incident report highlights a serious safety concern involving the Rope-Launcher Interactive Toy 8801, manufactured by World’s Finest Chocolate. A parent reported that the toy began smoking and wouldn’t shut off after only 30 minutes of play, revealing melted wires and a hole burned through the handle, raising significant concerns about potential fire risks.
Product Details
Incident Overview
On November 21, 2025, an incident was reported concerning a Rope-Launcher Interactive Toy 8801. According to the report, a parent’s children received the toy as a school prize. After approximately 30 minutes of use, the children brought the toy to their parent, stating it would not shut off and was emitting smoke. The parent intervened, having to open the toy and cut a wire to disable it. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the plastic coating on the internal wires had melted, causing them to short out and preventing the toy from powering down. The heat generated by the malfunction was severe enough to melt a visible hole through the toy’s handle. The parent expressed serious concern, noting that while their older children understood to bring the faulty toy to an adult, a younger child might simply discard it, potentially leaving a smoldering or overheating toy unattended, which could lead to a fire. The parent also reported the incident to the school and learned that several other parents had experienced identical issues with the same toy.
Safety Concerns
The incident involving the Rope-Launcher Interactive Toy 8801 presents several critical safety concerns:
- Fire Hazard: The most immediate and severe risk is the potential for fire. Melted wires, internal short-circuiting, and the generation of sufficient heat to melt plastic indicate a serious electrical defect that could ignite surrounding materials, such as bedding, carpets, or other household items, if the toy is left unattended while malfunctioning.
- Burn Risk: The melting of the plastic handle suggests that the toy’s external surface can become dangerously hot, posing a burn hazard to children or anyone handling the toy during a malfunction.
- Electrical Shock: While not explicitly reported, exposed, melted, or shorting wires within an electronic toy could potentially lead to minor electrical shocks, especially if the internal components are easily accessible.
- Uncontrolled Operation: The toy’s inability to shut off creates an unpredictable and hazardous situation, as the internal defects continue to worsen and generate heat without user intervention.
- Vulnerability of Young Children: The parent’s concern about younger children not recognizing the danger and potentially leaving the defective toy unattended highlights a specific risk for this age group, who may not understand the implications of a smoking or overheating device.
- Widespread Issue: The fact that other parents have reported similar incidents indicates that this is not an isolated defect but potentially a systemic design or manufacturing flaw affecting multiple units of the product.
- Property Damage Potential: Beyond personal injury, an uncontrolled fire initiated by the toy could cause significant damage to personal property and, in severe cases, the home itself.
What Consumers Should Do
Given the serious safety concerns, consumers who own a Rope-Launcher Interactive Toy 8801 should take the following steps:
- Immediately Stop Use: If you possess this toy, discontinue its use immediately. Do not attempt to repair it or continue playing with it.
- Inspect the Product: Check if you own the “Rope-Launcher Interactive Toy 8801.” Look for any signs of scorching, melting, smoke odor, or if the toy has ever failed to turn off properly.
- Securely Store or Dispose: If you have the affected product, store it in a safe, non-combustible location away from children and flammable materials. Consider disposing of it in a manner that prevents further use and adheres to local electronic waste guidelines. Do not place it in regular household trash if there’s any remaining electrical risk.
- Report the Incident: If you have experienced a similar issue or own this product, report it to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) at www.cpsc.gov. This helps the CPSC gather more data and potentially initiate a formal recall.
- Contact the Retailer/Manufacturer: While the manufacturer’s response is currently “No,” it is still advisable to attempt to contact World’s Finest Chocolate and the retailer (also World’s Finest Chocolate, according to the report) to inform them of the defect and inquire about return or refund options.
Manufacturer’s Response
As of the latest incident report, the manufacturer, World’s Finest Chocolate, has not provided a response to this incident. Consumers should still report their experiences to the CPSC to ensure the issue is documented and considered for further action.
Legal Help Available
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective product or suffered property damage due to a product malfunction, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced product liability attorneys at Farzan Law understand the complexities of defective product cases and can help you navigate the legal process.
Contact us today for a free consultation: 424-325-3112
Our legal team has successfully represented clients in product liability cases involving defective appliances, automotive defects, medical devices, and consumer products. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay unless we win your case.
Note: This information is based on incident reports provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. If you find information that is incorrect, please contact us immediately so we can correct the post to reflect accurate information.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice. This article is based on publicly available incident reports. The incidents mentioned have not necessarily been independently verified or adjudicated.